Seeing Stars
18: Wild Card
“You’re my wild card, my perfect little twist of fate. You’re my first spark, shot in the dark, favorite part of everything...”
“We don’t have to do this,” she set her hand on top of Jamie’s and looked up at him. With their hands intertwined over the center console of the car, she squeezed her fingers. “Honestly, it doesn’t bother me anymore; I don’t care.”
Jamie pushed open the car door with his free hand and unbuckled his seatbelt. “You quit working at the bar, you’ve just started going back to school, and just a few days ago you compared yourself to my job. We’re doing this.” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it quickly before he ducked out of his car and shut the door, waiting for Cassidy to get out also.
She sighed as she stared at him through the windshield. He looked around with his hands shoved into his pockets. Finally she climbed out of the car and stood beside him, squinting into the early afternoon sunlight. People walked aimlessly in front of them, minding their own business. And Jamie, wearing a backwards baseball cap, grasped Cassidy’s hand and began walking down the sidewalk. People stared as they passed, obviously aware that the captain of their beloved hockey team was being very public with a private aspect of his life.
With it now being April everyone in town knew that the Stars were working to clinch a playoff spot as the season drew closer to the end. And although Jamie had been more busy that usual, even if it didn’t mean the team was traveling, it seemed like his responsibilities as captain grew as the season got closer and closer to playoffs. But still he insisted that his work not take precedence over Cassidy’s healing. And that was precisely why he was holding her hand protectively as he led her towards Arrow.
Cassidy hadn’t been out since the attack and now, seeing the swinging doors that led into the bar, she tucked her other hand around Jamie’s bicep, cowering in closer to his body as they stepped inside. She had grown to trust Jamie again, and being in this environment, she truly needed him.
“Can I get y’all something?” The bartender offered as Cassidy and Jamie approached the bar. At the sound of his voice, Cassidy ducked her head slightly and looked past Jamie’s broad build to see the man behind him.
“No, we’re good, thanks.” Jamie responded, subtly dismissing the bartender. All he wanted was to rehabilitate the feelings Cassidy had had prior to her attack.
She sat on one of the barstools, hesitantly looking around. For the early hour, the bar was mostly empty. When she glanced back at Jamie, he was staring at her.
“How’s it feel to be back here?” He murmured, setting one hand against her lower back while keeping his body facing her.
“Not entirely pleasant.” She looked at the bartender as she organized the liquor bottles neatly on the glass shelf. “The game tonight…” the end of her sentence trailed off as she thought more about it.
This would be the first game she was going to since everything had happened. Although Cassidy considered herself to have social anxiety throughout her life, nothing compared to it now. The fear she felt about being around nineteen thousand people was overwhelming, as she’d most likely have to go through it alone.
“You’ll be up in the family suite tonight. Rich’s wife will be up there too.” He bit his lower lip nervously, “I figured you’d want some level of seclusion tonight.”
Cassidy reached for his hand, which was set along the bar. She smiled and nodded slightly, “please don’t get hurt tonight.” She brought her hand up to his cheek and rubbed it with her thumb.
“And Jamie Benn goes down to the ice!” Cassidy cringed as she watched it happen live, but could hear the announcer’s voice commentating on the whole thing from the TV inside the suite. “That did not look good. He’s still down, but he’s moving.”
Then, another announcer chimed in, “it looked like he took a skate to the mid-section. Let’s hope his padding took the impact and the worst that’s happened is the wind got knocked out of him.”
Rich’s wife, Nathalie, set her hand over Cassidy’s back and rubbed it soothingly, attempting to calm her as the trainer went out onto the ice and crouched beside Jamie. After a short stoppage, Jamie was skating off the ice. Cassidy was relieved, as his jersey wasn’t soaked in blood.
“See, he’s good. Jamie’s a big, strong boy. It’s just another bump and bruise for him.” Nathalie urged Cassidy to sit back in her seat as the game continued.
“Does it ever get easier?”
“Watching as the man you love gets pummeled to the ice? No, it doesn’t. But after awhile, you can see that most of the hits they take aren’t too serious. Even an occasional high stick, resulting in stitches isn’t too bad. It’s the head contact and spine shattering shoves into the boards that still worries me.”
Cassidy offered a nervous chuckle and ran her fingertips over her eyes, “that didn’t help.”
Nathalie smiled and rocked in her chair as she returned her attention to the game. “Think of it as your initiation into the world of a hockey WAG. If you weren’t concerned every time he went down, I’d say you don’t really care for him.”
She could see Jamie breathing heavily on the bench. He sat partially hunched over, trying to regain his composure, but clearly was having a hard time with it. Once she was convinced that no real damage had been done to him, she relaxed into her chair.
“Jamie mentioned what had happened to you. Listen, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. I’m here for you, and so is Rich. Call us for anything.”
Cassidy looked at her and then, shocked, turned back to the ice as the final buzzer rang with Dallas losing two to three. People began filing out of the arena, saddened by the way the game had ended, and soon, even the players had left the bench.
“I just want to move on from it. Jamie doesn’t deserve someone who can’t put shit behind her. I just want to be okay again,” Cassidy shrugged her shoulders, allowing her purse to fall from her shoulder.
Nathalie took in a deep breath and held it for a moment, shifting nervously in her chair. She stared down at the arena, watching as the last few people left the arena. “Trust me, Jamie’s not expecting you to be okay anytime soon.”
Cassidy glanced at Nathalie and tilted her head to side as if she were urging her to continue.
“He asked Rich for advice… help… Jamie knows what happened to you was traumatic, and obviously he’s been going slow with you since then. Don’t think he’s giving up, because he’s not. He just doesn’t want to make you do anything too soon.”
Before Cassidy could respond, the door to the suite opened and in walked Jamie and Rich, smiling at whatever the other had just said. They looked at the two girls in the suite, both of their faces lighting up even more when they saw the woman they’d be taking home for the night.
Cassidy ran for Jamie, wrapping her arms around this thick build and hugged him tightly, taking in a deep breath to catch a smell of his cologne. “That was quick,”
“I wanted to get you before the presser. That way you’re not up here by yourself,” he murmured back, kissing the top of her head gently.
When she backed away from him, Rich and Nathalie said their goodbyes, and Jamie took Cassidy’s hand, leading her out of the suite and back downstairs to a conference room.
Yeah, they had looked at her weird. I mean, their captain was supposed to come in for media coverage and he totes a girl on his arm, sits her down in the back row, and then tries to proceed like nothing was out of the ordinary. But they all stared at her, and even when Jamie sat down in the front of the room and cleared his throat, a few correspondents still glanced at Cassidy. She bit her lip nervously and brought her fingertips up to her lips.
“Jamie, tough loss tonight. What does the team need to improve on to beat a team like the Penguins?”
“Um…” Jamie scratched his cheek and tilted his head to the side, “we had too many turnovers tonight. We struggled with puck possession. Uh, like I said before, we needed to slow those guys down, and we just couldn’t do it tonight.”
There was a pause in the speaking and Jamie looked around the room, smiling slightly when he and Cassidy exchanged eye contact. Then the next correspondent spoke up.
“You had a beautiful assist on Tyler’s goal tonight. Can you tell us a little about it?”
Jamie smiled, “um, you know, Seggy and I have played with each other for awhile now. We’re starting to get that feeling where we know where the other is on the ice. Without even looking, I can put the puck somewhere and I know Seggy’s gonna pick it up.”
The questions continued on and Jamie answered all of them honestly. It couldn’t have been too hard as they all centered around some aspect of the game. But then, a correspondent got brave and cleared his throat before speaking.
“Mr. Benn, my colleagues and I noticed you arrived to the press conference a bit late, only to enter with a young woman. Would you care to expand on who she is?”
Almost immediately, the team’s PR staff stepped up and began mumbling, trying to turn the conversation elsewhere. Slowly, Jamie raised his hand, urging the staff to stop, and looked at Cassidy, keeping his eyes locked on hers as he spoke.
“She is a woman in which I am in a committed relationship with. A woman I find myself loving more everyday. And I ask, very graciously, that you keep her out of your articles and tabloids. Thank you,” he stood up calmly, stepped out from behind the table and microphone and walked up the aisle, clutching Cassidy’s hand.
They walked out together, various murmurs going on behind them as people snapped their pictures and talked about what had just been said. But Cassidy and Jamie ignored them as they walked to his car, talking quietly to each other.
Back at the house, Jordie was already in the kitchen with the same girl he had had over for weeks now. So apparently they were an official couple now; much to Cassidy’s pleasure as it would give Jordie a chance to forget the time she leapt into his arms, thinking he was his brother.
As Jamie went into the kitchen, Cassidy pulled open the back door and stepped out onto the porch, pushing her hands into her back pockets as she looked around the quiet yard. Just a moment later, Jamie appeared next to her, offering her a bottle of beer. They stood next to each other, silently nursing their drinks.
“I want you to not be afraid to want me… please?”
It almost came out as a whisper, and mid-sip, Jamie turned his head to look at her, as if he wanted to make sure she had really said it before he responded to it. She waited for his response, growing more and more nervous as he didn’t respond immediately.
“I just don’t want you to regress to the position I found you in after my road trip. That was a bad place to be, and I’d hate for you to have to relive that.” Jamie took another sip of his beer, now turning to face Cassidy.
She glanced up at him. Despite the darkness outside, she could see his eyes catching the light being reflected from inside the house. “I want you to hold me, and kiss me, and love me like you used to. Because right now, it just feels like you’re an older brother taking care of me.”
Hearing that, Jamie stepped forward, placing his hand on the back of Cassidy’s neck and pulled her into him until their lips met. Slowly, Jamie reached for her beer bottle, taking it in his free hand, and set both his and hers on the table by the pool. He then picked her up, and carefully carried her to one of the lounge chairs. He sat down with her on top of him, reaching back to pull a thin blanket over them.
Cassidy leaned forward and pressed her hands against Jamie’s chest as she kissed him again, this time more slowly than before. She moaned quietly against his lips, nipping at his lower lip as she clenched her hands around his t-shirt. Jamie leaned his head back against the chair, smiling as he took in the sight of her on top of him, and he eased his hands up, gathering and pushing her long dress up to legs until it reached her waist. At the same time, she fumbled with his belt, finally undoing it and reached for the button and zipper of his slacks.
“You want to do this out here,” He murmured as he shifted his body to allow Cassidy to yank his pants away from his waist. Sitting on his boxer briefs, Cassidy could now see and feel the growing bulge beneath the tight fabric.
She nodded and leaned into him again, this time pressing her lips against his neck, sucking on his skin gently. He lifted her off his waist, just enough for him push his underwear down to reveal his member, before he pulled on her thong. Cassidy moved her hips forward, her inner thighs meeting with Jamie’s dick. She hesitated for a moment, realizing that he didn’t have a condom.
Sensing her sudden discomfort, Jamie brought his hands up to either side of her neck, “let me go get…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Cassidy took his shaft in her hand, clearly becoming bolder after everything that had happened to her. Jamie’s eyes drifted down to her hand as she stroked him gently, rubbing the head of his dick against her clit in a smooth, even pattern. He leaned in and kissed her, slipping his tongue past her lips until his could meet hers. When she finally guided his cock into her, they both made small noises of pleasure as he sunk deeper into her for the first time without any barrier between them.
“We don’t have to do this,” she set her hand on top of Jamie’s and looked up at him. With their hands intertwined over the center console of the car, she squeezed her fingers. “Honestly, it doesn’t bother me anymore; I don’t care.”
Jamie pushed open the car door with his free hand and unbuckled his seatbelt. “You quit working at the bar, you’ve just started going back to school, and just a few days ago you compared yourself to my job. We’re doing this.” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it quickly before he ducked out of his car and shut the door, waiting for Cassidy to get out also.
She sighed as she stared at him through the windshield. He looked around with his hands shoved into his pockets. Finally she climbed out of the car and stood beside him, squinting into the early afternoon sunlight. People walked aimlessly in front of them, minding their own business. And Jamie, wearing a backwards baseball cap, grasped Cassidy’s hand and began walking down the sidewalk. People stared as they passed, obviously aware that the captain of their beloved hockey team was being very public with a private aspect of his life.
With it now being April everyone in town knew that the Stars were working to clinch a playoff spot as the season drew closer to the end. And although Jamie had been more busy that usual, even if it didn’t mean the team was traveling, it seemed like his responsibilities as captain grew as the season got closer and closer to playoffs. But still he insisted that his work not take precedence over Cassidy’s healing. And that was precisely why he was holding her hand protectively as he led her towards Arrow.
Cassidy hadn’t been out since the attack and now, seeing the swinging doors that led into the bar, she tucked her other hand around Jamie’s bicep, cowering in closer to his body as they stepped inside. She had grown to trust Jamie again, and being in this environment, she truly needed him.
“Can I get y’all something?” The bartender offered as Cassidy and Jamie approached the bar. At the sound of his voice, Cassidy ducked her head slightly and looked past Jamie’s broad build to see the man behind him.
“No, we’re good, thanks.” Jamie responded, subtly dismissing the bartender. All he wanted was to rehabilitate the feelings Cassidy had had prior to her attack.
She sat on one of the barstools, hesitantly looking around. For the early hour, the bar was mostly empty. When she glanced back at Jamie, he was staring at her.
“How’s it feel to be back here?” He murmured, setting one hand against her lower back while keeping his body facing her.
“Not entirely pleasant.” She looked at the bartender as she organized the liquor bottles neatly on the glass shelf. “The game tonight…” the end of her sentence trailed off as she thought more about it.
This would be the first game she was going to since everything had happened. Although Cassidy considered herself to have social anxiety throughout her life, nothing compared to it now. The fear she felt about being around nineteen thousand people was overwhelming, as she’d most likely have to go through it alone.
“You’ll be up in the family suite tonight. Rich’s wife will be up there too.” He bit his lower lip nervously, “I figured you’d want some level of seclusion tonight.”
Cassidy reached for his hand, which was set along the bar. She smiled and nodded slightly, “please don’t get hurt tonight.” She brought her hand up to his cheek and rubbed it with her thumb.
“And Jamie Benn goes down to the ice!” Cassidy cringed as she watched it happen live, but could hear the announcer’s voice commentating on the whole thing from the TV inside the suite. “That did not look good. He’s still down, but he’s moving.”
Then, another announcer chimed in, “it looked like he took a skate to the mid-section. Let’s hope his padding took the impact and the worst that’s happened is the wind got knocked out of him.”
Rich’s wife, Nathalie, set her hand over Cassidy’s back and rubbed it soothingly, attempting to calm her as the trainer went out onto the ice and crouched beside Jamie. After a short stoppage, Jamie was skating off the ice. Cassidy was relieved, as his jersey wasn’t soaked in blood.
“See, he’s good. Jamie’s a big, strong boy. It’s just another bump and bruise for him.” Nathalie urged Cassidy to sit back in her seat as the game continued.
“Does it ever get easier?”
“Watching as the man you love gets pummeled to the ice? No, it doesn’t. But after awhile, you can see that most of the hits they take aren’t too serious. Even an occasional high stick, resulting in stitches isn’t too bad. It’s the head contact and spine shattering shoves into the boards that still worries me.”
Cassidy offered a nervous chuckle and ran her fingertips over her eyes, “that didn’t help.”
Nathalie smiled and rocked in her chair as she returned her attention to the game. “Think of it as your initiation into the world of a hockey WAG. If you weren’t concerned every time he went down, I’d say you don’t really care for him.”
She could see Jamie breathing heavily on the bench. He sat partially hunched over, trying to regain his composure, but clearly was having a hard time with it. Once she was convinced that no real damage had been done to him, she relaxed into her chair.
“Jamie mentioned what had happened to you. Listen, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. I’m here for you, and so is Rich. Call us for anything.”
Cassidy looked at her and then, shocked, turned back to the ice as the final buzzer rang with Dallas losing two to three. People began filing out of the arena, saddened by the way the game had ended, and soon, even the players had left the bench.
“I just want to move on from it. Jamie doesn’t deserve someone who can’t put shit behind her. I just want to be okay again,” Cassidy shrugged her shoulders, allowing her purse to fall from her shoulder.
Nathalie took in a deep breath and held it for a moment, shifting nervously in her chair. She stared down at the arena, watching as the last few people left the arena. “Trust me, Jamie’s not expecting you to be okay anytime soon.”
Cassidy glanced at Nathalie and tilted her head to side as if she were urging her to continue.
“He asked Rich for advice… help… Jamie knows what happened to you was traumatic, and obviously he’s been going slow with you since then. Don’t think he’s giving up, because he’s not. He just doesn’t want to make you do anything too soon.”
Before Cassidy could respond, the door to the suite opened and in walked Jamie and Rich, smiling at whatever the other had just said. They looked at the two girls in the suite, both of their faces lighting up even more when they saw the woman they’d be taking home for the night.
Cassidy ran for Jamie, wrapping her arms around this thick build and hugged him tightly, taking in a deep breath to catch a smell of his cologne. “That was quick,”
“I wanted to get you before the presser. That way you’re not up here by yourself,” he murmured back, kissing the top of her head gently.
When she backed away from him, Rich and Nathalie said their goodbyes, and Jamie took Cassidy’s hand, leading her out of the suite and back downstairs to a conference room.
Yeah, they had looked at her weird. I mean, their captain was supposed to come in for media coverage and he totes a girl on his arm, sits her down in the back row, and then tries to proceed like nothing was out of the ordinary. But they all stared at her, and even when Jamie sat down in the front of the room and cleared his throat, a few correspondents still glanced at Cassidy. She bit her lip nervously and brought her fingertips up to her lips.
“Jamie, tough loss tonight. What does the team need to improve on to beat a team like the Penguins?”
“Um…” Jamie scratched his cheek and tilted his head to the side, “we had too many turnovers tonight. We struggled with puck possession. Uh, like I said before, we needed to slow those guys down, and we just couldn’t do it tonight.”
There was a pause in the speaking and Jamie looked around the room, smiling slightly when he and Cassidy exchanged eye contact. Then the next correspondent spoke up.
“You had a beautiful assist on Tyler’s goal tonight. Can you tell us a little about it?”
Jamie smiled, “um, you know, Seggy and I have played with each other for awhile now. We’re starting to get that feeling where we know where the other is on the ice. Without even looking, I can put the puck somewhere and I know Seggy’s gonna pick it up.”
The questions continued on and Jamie answered all of them honestly. It couldn’t have been too hard as they all centered around some aspect of the game. But then, a correspondent got brave and cleared his throat before speaking.
“Mr. Benn, my colleagues and I noticed you arrived to the press conference a bit late, only to enter with a young woman. Would you care to expand on who she is?”
Almost immediately, the team’s PR staff stepped up and began mumbling, trying to turn the conversation elsewhere. Slowly, Jamie raised his hand, urging the staff to stop, and looked at Cassidy, keeping his eyes locked on hers as he spoke.
“She is a woman in which I am in a committed relationship with. A woman I find myself loving more everyday. And I ask, very graciously, that you keep her out of your articles and tabloids. Thank you,” he stood up calmly, stepped out from behind the table and microphone and walked up the aisle, clutching Cassidy’s hand.
They walked out together, various murmurs going on behind them as people snapped their pictures and talked about what had just been said. But Cassidy and Jamie ignored them as they walked to his car, talking quietly to each other.
Back at the house, Jordie was already in the kitchen with the same girl he had had over for weeks now. So apparently they were an official couple now; much to Cassidy’s pleasure as it would give Jordie a chance to forget the time she leapt into his arms, thinking he was his brother.
As Jamie went into the kitchen, Cassidy pulled open the back door and stepped out onto the porch, pushing her hands into her back pockets as she looked around the quiet yard. Just a moment later, Jamie appeared next to her, offering her a bottle of beer. They stood next to each other, silently nursing their drinks.
“I want you to not be afraid to want me… please?”
It almost came out as a whisper, and mid-sip, Jamie turned his head to look at her, as if he wanted to make sure she had really said it before he responded to it. She waited for his response, growing more and more nervous as he didn’t respond immediately.
“I just don’t want you to regress to the position I found you in after my road trip. That was a bad place to be, and I’d hate for you to have to relive that.” Jamie took another sip of his beer, now turning to face Cassidy.
She glanced up at him. Despite the darkness outside, she could see his eyes catching the light being reflected from inside the house. “I want you to hold me, and kiss me, and love me like you used to. Because right now, it just feels like you’re an older brother taking care of me.”
Hearing that, Jamie stepped forward, placing his hand on the back of Cassidy’s neck and pulled her into him until their lips met. Slowly, Jamie reached for her beer bottle, taking it in his free hand, and set both his and hers on the table by the pool. He then picked her up, and carefully carried her to one of the lounge chairs. He sat down with her on top of him, reaching back to pull a thin blanket over them.
Cassidy leaned forward and pressed her hands against Jamie’s chest as she kissed him again, this time more slowly than before. She moaned quietly against his lips, nipping at his lower lip as she clenched her hands around his t-shirt. Jamie leaned his head back against the chair, smiling as he took in the sight of her on top of him, and he eased his hands up, gathering and pushing her long dress up to legs until it reached her waist. At the same time, she fumbled with his belt, finally undoing it and reached for the button and zipper of his slacks.
“You want to do this out here,” He murmured as he shifted his body to allow Cassidy to yank his pants away from his waist. Sitting on his boxer briefs, Cassidy could now see and feel the growing bulge beneath the tight fabric.
She nodded and leaned into him again, this time pressing her lips against his neck, sucking on his skin gently. He lifted her off his waist, just enough for him push his underwear down to reveal his member, before he pulled on her thong. Cassidy moved her hips forward, her inner thighs meeting with Jamie’s dick. She hesitated for a moment, realizing that he didn’t have a condom.
Sensing her sudden discomfort, Jamie brought his hands up to either side of her neck, “let me go get…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Cassidy took his shaft in her hand, clearly becoming bolder after everything that had happened to her. Jamie’s eyes drifted down to her hand as she stroked him gently, rubbing the head of his dick against her clit in a smooth, even pattern. He leaned in and kissed her, slipping his tongue past her lips until his could meet hers. When she finally guided his cock into her, they both made small noises of pleasure as he sunk deeper into her for the first time without any barrier between them.
Notes
This chapter is titled after "Wild Card" by Hunter Hayes.
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5/2/16